NURS231
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS LATEST EXAM UPDATE
A 30-year-old man is brought to the ER with a knife wound to the chest. On visual inspection,
asymmetry of chest movement during inspiration, displacement of the trachea, and absence of
breath sounds on the side of the wound are noted. His neck veins are distended, and his pulse is
rapid and thready.
What is your initial diagnosis?
What type of emergent treatment is necessary? - CORRECT ANSWER 1) tension
pneumothorax 2) chest tube
When is the risk for obstructive atelectasis the greatest? What are strategies to decrease the
chance for developing atelectasis? - CORRECT ANSWER The risk of obstructive atelectasis is
increased following surgery. Anesthesia, pain and pain medications, and immobility promote
retention of bronchial secretions. Patients are encouraged to frequently cough, deep breath,
change positions, hydrate adequately, and ambulate early to prevent atelectasis.
Explain why the oxygen flow rate for people with COPD is normally titrated to maintain the
arterial PO2 between 60 and 65 mm Hg. - CORRECT ANSWER Their medullary respiratory
center has adapted to the elevated CO2 levels and no longer responds to increases in PCO2.
Therefore, a decrease in PO2 becomes the stimulus for respiration. If oxygen is given at too high
of a rate, it suppresses the stimulus and the respiratory drive.
Page 1 of 285
,Each of the following can lead to atelectasis except: - CORRECT ANSWER Thrombus
Someone with COPD would exhibit each of the following characteristics except: - CORRECT
ANSWER Increased D-dimer levels
Ventilation - CORRECT ANSWER The flow of gases into and out of the alveoli of the lungs
Perfusion - CORRECT ANSWER The flow of blood in the adjacent pulmonary capillaries
Diffusion - CORRECT ANSWER The transfer of gases between the alveoli and the pulmonary
capillaries
Each of the following disorders are correctly paired with related characteristics except: -
CORRECT ANSWER Atelectasis - decreased respiratory rate
A patient has experienced a seizure affecting the left temporal lobe. The family reports that the
patient exhibited repetitive lip smacking and hand rubbing followed by a period of great fear and
insecurity. They have experienced which type of seizure? - CORRECT ANSWER Focal
seizure with impairment of consciousness or awareness
Voluntary tongue movements are controlled by which cranial nerve? - CORRECT ANSWER
CN
XII.
You are seeing a patient with Parkinson's disease in your office. You feel a catch as you passively
take their arm through flexion and extension. This is an example of what physical manifestation
of the disease? - CORRECT ANSWER Cogwheeling
Sleep spindles are characteristic of which stage of sleep? - CORRECT ANSWER Stage 2
,A person reports a generalized depressed mood, changes in appetite, and irritability that gets
worse as the day goes on. They also report that they sleep more than 8 hours which is affecting
their productivity. What type of depression are they experiencing? - CORRECT ANSWER
Atypical depression
Each of the following statements is true regarding the organization of the nervous system except:
- CORRECT ANSWER The CNS has an afferent and efferent division
Each of the following statements is true regarding Alzheimer's disease except: - CORRECT
ANSWER Neurofibrillary tangles are composed of deteriorating nerve pieces that arrange
themselves around a sticky protein core called amyloid beta (Aβ)
Each of the following are modifiable behaviors related to stroke except: - CORRECT ANSWER
Hypercholesteremia
Primary insomnia is characterized by each of the following except: - CORRECT ANSWER
Can also be called comorbid insomnia
What type of seizure occurs in 2 phases, involves a loss of consciousness, and lasts
approximately 60-90 seconds? - CORRECT ANSWER Tonic-clonic seizure
Sleep disturbances associated with narcolepsy include each of the following except: - CORRECT
ANSWER sleep apnea
Each of the following statements is true of Parkinson's disease except: - CORRECT ANSWER
It is characterized by an increase of dopaminergic neurons
Efferent neurons deliver _______ input from the CNS to the periphery. - CORRECT ANSWER
Motor
Page 3 of 285
, SRIs ________ the reuptake of serotonin at the presynaptic space. - CORRECT ANSWER
inhibit
_______ is sleep disordered breathing due to the brain not properly signaling the respiratory
muscles. - CORRECT ANSWER Central sleep apnea
________ utilizes electric impulses to inhibit or stop the abnormal nerve activity that causes
tremor and other unwanted movement patterns associated with Parkinson's disease. - CORRECT
ANSWER Deep brain stimulation
Specialized ependymal cells that project into the ventricles and produce CSF are called the
______. - CORRECT ANSWER Choroid plexus
Schwann cells produce myelin in the CNS. - CORRECT ANSWER False, Schwann cells
produce myelin in the PNS.
Alterations in the HPA axis have been linked to PTSD. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Vital signs increase during stage 1 of NREM sleep. - CORRECT ANSWER False, vital signs
decrease during stage 1 of NREM sleep.
Someone in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease requires assistance for their activities of daily
living. - CORRECT ANSWER False, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, individuals are
still independent with their ADLs.
Explain how a chemical synapse produces an excitatory or inhibitory signal. - CORRECT
ANSWER The presynaptic neuron will secrete neurotransmitters which diffuse into the
synaptic cleft and bind to excitatory or inhibitory receptors on the postsynaptic membrane
eliciting an excitatory or inhibitory signal in one direction.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS LATEST EXAM UPDATE
A 30-year-old man is brought to the ER with a knife wound to the chest. On visual inspection,
asymmetry of chest movement during inspiration, displacement of the trachea, and absence of
breath sounds on the side of the wound are noted. His neck veins are distended, and his pulse is
rapid and thready.
What is your initial diagnosis?
What type of emergent treatment is necessary? - CORRECT ANSWER 1) tension
pneumothorax 2) chest tube
When is the risk for obstructive atelectasis the greatest? What are strategies to decrease the
chance for developing atelectasis? - CORRECT ANSWER The risk of obstructive atelectasis is
increased following surgery. Anesthesia, pain and pain medications, and immobility promote
retention of bronchial secretions. Patients are encouraged to frequently cough, deep breath,
change positions, hydrate adequately, and ambulate early to prevent atelectasis.
Explain why the oxygen flow rate for people with COPD is normally titrated to maintain the
arterial PO2 between 60 and 65 mm Hg. - CORRECT ANSWER Their medullary respiratory
center has adapted to the elevated CO2 levels and no longer responds to increases in PCO2.
Therefore, a decrease in PO2 becomes the stimulus for respiration. If oxygen is given at too high
of a rate, it suppresses the stimulus and the respiratory drive.
Page 1 of 285
,Each of the following can lead to atelectasis except: - CORRECT ANSWER Thrombus
Someone with COPD would exhibit each of the following characteristics except: - CORRECT
ANSWER Increased D-dimer levels
Ventilation - CORRECT ANSWER The flow of gases into and out of the alveoli of the lungs
Perfusion - CORRECT ANSWER The flow of blood in the adjacent pulmonary capillaries
Diffusion - CORRECT ANSWER The transfer of gases between the alveoli and the pulmonary
capillaries
Each of the following disorders are correctly paired with related characteristics except: -
CORRECT ANSWER Atelectasis - decreased respiratory rate
A patient has experienced a seizure affecting the left temporal lobe. The family reports that the
patient exhibited repetitive lip smacking and hand rubbing followed by a period of great fear and
insecurity. They have experienced which type of seizure? - CORRECT ANSWER Focal
seizure with impairment of consciousness or awareness
Voluntary tongue movements are controlled by which cranial nerve? - CORRECT ANSWER
CN
XII.
You are seeing a patient with Parkinson's disease in your office. You feel a catch as you passively
take their arm through flexion and extension. This is an example of what physical manifestation
of the disease? - CORRECT ANSWER Cogwheeling
Sleep spindles are characteristic of which stage of sleep? - CORRECT ANSWER Stage 2
,A person reports a generalized depressed mood, changes in appetite, and irritability that gets
worse as the day goes on. They also report that they sleep more than 8 hours which is affecting
their productivity. What type of depression are they experiencing? - CORRECT ANSWER
Atypical depression
Each of the following statements is true regarding the organization of the nervous system except:
- CORRECT ANSWER The CNS has an afferent and efferent division
Each of the following statements is true regarding Alzheimer's disease except: - CORRECT
ANSWER Neurofibrillary tangles are composed of deteriorating nerve pieces that arrange
themselves around a sticky protein core called amyloid beta (Aβ)
Each of the following are modifiable behaviors related to stroke except: - CORRECT ANSWER
Hypercholesteremia
Primary insomnia is characterized by each of the following except: - CORRECT ANSWER
Can also be called comorbid insomnia
What type of seizure occurs in 2 phases, involves a loss of consciousness, and lasts
approximately 60-90 seconds? - CORRECT ANSWER Tonic-clonic seizure
Sleep disturbances associated with narcolepsy include each of the following except: - CORRECT
ANSWER sleep apnea
Each of the following statements is true of Parkinson's disease except: - CORRECT ANSWER
It is characterized by an increase of dopaminergic neurons
Efferent neurons deliver _______ input from the CNS to the periphery. - CORRECT ANSWER
Motor
Page 3 of 285
, SRIs ________ the reuptake of serotonin at the presynaptic space. - CORRECT ANSWER
inhibit
_______ is sleep disordered breathing due to the brain not properly signaling the respiratory
muscles. - CORRECT ANSWER Central sleep apnea
________ utilizes electric impulses to inhibit or stop the abnormal nerve activity that causes
tremor and other unwanted movement patterns associated with Parkinson's disease. - CORRECT
ANSWER Deep brain stimulation
Specialized ependymal cells that project into the ventricles and produce CSF are called the
______. - CORRECT ANSWER Choroid plexus
Schwann cells produce myelin in the CNS. - CORRECT ANSWER False, Schwann cells
produce myelin in the PNS.
Alterations in the HPA axis have been linked to PTSD. - CORRECT ANSWER True
Vital signs increase during stage 1 of NREM sleep. - CORRECT ANSWER False, vital signs
decrease during stage 1 of NREM sleep.
Someone in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease requires assistance for their activities of daily
living. - CORRECT ANSWER False, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, individuals are
still independent with their ADLs.
Explain how a chemical synapse produces an excitatory or inhibitory signal. - CORRECT
ANSWER The presynaptic neuron will secrete neurotransmitters which diffuse into the
synaptic cleft and bind to excitatory or inhibitory receptors on the postsynaptic membrane
eliciting an excitatory or inhibitory signal in one direction.
